Time marks for the sweep of cathode-ray tubes



comi/a .Aug.`31, 1948. F. A FIRESTONE ET A1. 2,448,363

TIME MARKS FOR THE SWEEP OF CATHODE RAY TUBES Filed June 28, 1945 3+ 4m MUS y .v ff 23 129 FLOYDH. F/RESTO/VE B DELANQJR Patented Aug. 31, 1948 '.llIlWiI:MARKSV FOR THE SWEEP 0F CATHODE-RAY TUBES Floyd: A. 'E"irestovneg Arbor, Mich.,"and Ralph- B. De Lano, Jr., New York,` N. Y., assignors to Sperry Products, Inc., Hoboken, N. J., a.y corpowration' of NewYork l'Application .fune 28, 1945', SerialNo. 5602.100

v311A- Claims.

This invention 'relates to apparatus'oritroducing 'time'marks `into"th'e sweep df a 'catho'de ray tube or oscilloscope s'othat the tirnebetwee'n signals indicated on the y'oscilloscope may be measured by reference to these marks. 'Ilt is lone ofthe principal objects ofthis 'inventiont'oprovide a simple method and 'means for' introducing such time marks in'to the siiv'eepfciV a cathode ray tube'.

It is a further'ohjeot O'f this`inve1ltion-t`o .provide a method and means for synchronizing the sweep and the time marking means -by causing the initiation Of the sweep Tto render Vthe time marking means eiec'tive.

It isa further object of this invention to provide a squarev wave `form for'the time marks, such wave form being visible even in the presence .of a signal of large amplitude. 'Such time marks are also a quick and ready indication of time since, for example, Aif the positive portion equals the negative Yportion and each cycle is one-milionth of a second, then the end of each square portion represents one-half millior'ith ofasecon'd.

Further objects and advantages o'f this-invention will become apparent in 'theffollovving detailed description thereof.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. l is a wiring diagram illustrating ,ongembodiment of thisinvention. Y

Fig. 2 is a View similar tonig. 1 illu'str'atinganother form of this invention. l

Fig. 3 is a View of a portion' fF'g'. showing a modified form of the' invention.

Fig. 4 is a representation of the time' marks as they appear on the oscilloscope.

Referring to Fig. 1, there i'sdisclo'sed a cathode ray tube or oscilloscope I having Vsets"c'deflecting means which may ta-ketheiorrn' of Lhorizontal plates I-I and' vertical plates -I2. :The horizontal vplates control the horizontal sweep'while the-vertical -plates introduce `the' Ltime marks and "the signal which itis desiredtoindicate'.

The horizontal sweep maybe'-controlle'dby Vpush-pull sweep circuit 250 which inturniscontrolled by a circuit including-'abreakdown-fdevice 2l which may be an R. C. fA. type '884 gas discharge tube.` Said tube is r'iorn'ia-ll'y shunted across a condenser 22' which ischarged through-a resistor r 23 to a potenti-al`of, for example, -400 volts. 'The `gridof tube v2I` is normally biased suflici'ently negative byv means ofbattery 2'4'Y acting through grid leak 25 so" that tube '2`I v"do'es'nclt con-'duct current. The Y said vvtube `may 'be caused f-toA cond-uct current' either -in response" to* a control signa1 which may be, for example, av -wa've ewan* 'trainemitted from a wave"trainigeneratoras disclosed in the patent to-iirestoneV No. "2,280,226 granted April '21, 1942, or it may be caused lto discharge periodically. In the lcase where the discharge 'of tube 2| is controlled by the'input signal; said signal is caused toimpress a positive voltagethrough condenser/26 on the grid' of tube 2i' vso that said grid `becomes'l'essnegativerto a sufficient ldegree to permit the tube'to become vsuddenly conducting and to 4discharge 'condenser 22. The push-pull sweepcircuit-2-is thus v`energized to' ,'place the 'necessary 'voltage upon Aplates II of tube I, and lcause a horizontal sweep'of thecathode' raybeam' across the-faceof v'the tube. In the case whereno input signal isusedfor controlling 'the discharge of tube` 2I, such discharge vmay be effected periodically-by so choosing-the potential of battery that thetube 2I will dise charge repeatedly as condenser 22 rechargesi to a vpredetermined'voltage and, hence, as the plate'of tube 2l reaches said predetermined voltage.

Byv the discharge of 'tube 2 I, a saw-tocthlwave is generated suitable for operation throughthe pushepull-circuit lto'produce a horizontal'sweep of the'cathode ray tube-IIJ.

For introducing time marks 'on `the vhorizontal sweep-so that the time interval between indicated -signals can be indicated, we employv a multivibrator indicated generally at 3B. `Such vmultivibrator may be of known type andcomprisetwo vtubes 3| and 3'2. The plate voltagev forthe' plates of the tubes may vbe obtain-ed from a B'battery 33 supplying-for example, 300 volts through-resistors 3Q and 35. Thegridbias may be supplied through resistors and 37. The tubes are connected so that ythe Voutput of 'onetube feeds 'by way 'of a condenser 38l to' the grid of the other'tube While the output of vthesccondl tubeieeds' by"W`ay of condenser 39 to the gridoi-th'e'rst tube. Thus, (if 'the cathodes 'and' 4I Vof the tubes "are grounded, Vthe 'multivibrator would v'operate continuously, 'the discharge "of none tubel energizing y the other tube.

Vmeans ofpa filter lcomprising"'conclerrserj13.5#and "resistor 4 6.

In the "present case' itis not desired that "the -below the base line.

multivibrator vibrate continuously, but rather it is desired that the multivibrator be synchronized with the horizontal sweep. Since the breakdown of tube 2| initiates the horizontal sweep, this factor is also utilized to render the multivibrator effective and thus introduce the time marks on the horizontal sweep in fixed predetermined relation to the horizontal sweep because the time marks are initiated by the same control element, namely, gaseous discharge tube 2| which controls the horizontal sweep. The means for eiecting such control and synchronization are as follows: The lower ends of resistors 42 and 43 inthe cir- 4 output from the multivibrator for each sweep between horizontal plates By the above arrangement it becomes apparent that the time signals are introduced into the sweep of the oscilloscope in synchronized relation with the sweep. In other words, the time signal will always appear at the same points in the sweep and only when the sweep occurs, since the time marks are controlled by the sweep.

cuit of the cathodes of tubes 3| and 32 are conchosen for illustration the battery 29 has a volty age of 400 While the battery 33 has a voltage of 30. Hence, no current will pass through tubes 3| and 32 and the multivibrator will not oscillate. Upon the sudden discharge of condenser 22, however, when tube 2| becomes conducting, the potential on the cathodes of tubes 3| and 32 drops to near zero, and the multivibrator starts to oscillate. By placing a small condenser1 50 between the cathode of tube 3| and ground, the multivibrator will always start oscillation in the same phase because tube 3| willbe delayed in acting due to the voltage which the condenser applies to the cathode. Hence, oscillation of the vibrator will aways begin with the tube 32 becoming effective as soon as tube 2| breaks down. The same result can be obtained by connecting the lower end of resistor 42 directly to ground, as shown inv Fig. 3, making this tube continuously conducting. Vibration will therefore always start with tube 3i. 'Since the output of tube 2|V is of rsquare wave form, the time mark will always be of square wave form. This is highly desirable because such time marks will be visible even in the ,presence of a signal of large amplitude whereas heretofore the small, peaked time marks tended to be lost or become undistinguishable when the impressed signal on the cathode tube was of large amplitude. The signal which it is desired to indicate in relation to the time marks is shown impressed on the vertical plates |2 of the cathode ray oscilloscope.

The length of the time signal provided by the multivibrator can be controlled by regulating the constants of the multivibrator circuit. By advjusting resistors 36 and 31 the positive portion of each cycle of the multivibrator can be made to bear any desired relation to the negative portion. Under most circumstances it will be found convenient to so adjust the resistors 31, 38 that the positive and negative portions of each cycle are equal so that there will be obtained, as shown in Fig. 4, a square wave output in which the portion above the normal sweep base linefas indicated by the dotted line, is equal to the portion This means that the time which a full cycle indicates can be readily read on the oscilloscope merely by counting the portions either above or below the line. Thus two square wave portions above the line indicate the passage of 11/2 time units. If the complete cycle represents one-millionth of a second, then by merely counting the number of rectangles above the line the number of half-millionths of a second can readily be determined. The constants of the multivibrator circuit are such as to give a frequency which will yield a plurality of cycles ofV vtive end of a grounded battery 65.

' In a modified form of the invention disclosed .in Fig. 2, the connection between the gaseous discharge 'tube 2| and the multivibrator 30 is made through a control tube 60 instead of through cathode resistorsV 42 `and 43. In this form of the invention `the lower side of cathode resistors 42 and 43 'are permanently grounded. The additional tube 60 which couples the tube 2| with the multivibrator has a grid which is grounded through a grid leak 62 and a plate which is connected to the grid of tube 3| of the multivibrator. The cathode of tube 60 is connected to the nega- Thus, `with the system standing in its normal state, the plate of tube 6D is at a negative potential with respect to ground approximately equal to the negative potential supplied bybattery 65 and this negative potential is applied to the grid of tube 3|. Tube 3| is therefore biased beyond cut-off and the multivibrator does not operate. Upon the sudden discharge of condenser 22 however the grid of tube 6|) receives a negative pulse which carries that tube beyond cut-off, Vtube 60 ceases to conduct and the grid of tube 3| becomes less negative to an extent which permits operation of the multivibrator. Thus, the time signals are again introduced into the oscilloscope'l each time tube 2| discharges and, therefore, each time the sweep circuit 20 is energized. Consequently the time marks are synchronized with the sweep and occur only when the sweep occurs.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we have herein described the principle and operation of our invention, together with -the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other equivalent means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these may be altered and others omitted without interfering with the more general results outlined, and the invention eX- tends to such use.

Having described our invention, what we claim and desire to secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of deflecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deflecting means, a multivibrator connected to the other set of deflecting means, means including a critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said sweep circuit effective, and means controlled by said critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said multivibrator effective.

2. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of deflectingmeans, a sweep circuit connected to one set oi. deecting means, a multivibrator connected to the other set of deflecting means, means including a critical voltage breakdown devicek for rendering said sweep circuit effective and ineffective, and means controlled by said critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said multivibrator eiective and ineffective.

fausses 3."I1icombination, an oscilloscope havinghor'i- `izontal and vertical -sets ofA defiecting means, a

sweep circuit `connected to one set of deflecting comprising a pair of electronftubes each having plate, rgrid and cathode, means forvapplying'a voltage to the plate of the device, means for applying a voltage to the cathode of one of the tubes normally higher than its plate voltage so that the tube is non-conducting and the multivibrator is ineffective, the cathode of the other of the tubes being connected to ground so that the multivibrator when rendered eifective will aways become operative in the same phase, and means whereby the breakdown of said device lowers the cathode voltage of the first tube to render said tube conducting and the multivibrator eifective.

4. In combination, an oscilloscope having hori- Zontal and vertical sets of deecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deiiecting means, a multivibrator connected to the other set of deflecting means, means including a critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said sweep circuit effective and ineifective, said multivibrator comprising a pair of electron tubes each having plate, grid and cathode, means for applying a voltage to the plate of the device, means for applying a voltage to the cathode normally higher than the plate voltages so that the tubes are non-conducting and the multivibrator is ineffective, and means whereby the breakdown of said device lowers the cathode voltage of the tubes to render the tubes conducting and the multivibrator effective.

5. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of deflecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deflecting means, a multivibrator connected to the other set of -deflecting means, means including a `critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said sweep circuit eiective and ineffective, said multivibrator comprising a pair of electron tubes each having plate, grid and cathode, means for applying a Voltage to the plate of the device, means for applying a voltage to the cathode normally higher than the plate voltages so that the tubes are non-conducting and the multivibrator is ineective, means whereby the breakdown of said device lowers the cathode voltage of the tubes to render the tubes conducting and the multivibrator effective, and means for delaying lowering of the cathode voltage of one of the tubes so that the multivibrator will always be rendered effective in the same phase.

6. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of deflecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deiecting means, a multivibrator connected to the other set of deflecting means, means including a critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said sweep circuit effective and ineffective, said multivibrator comprising a pair of electron tubes each having plate, grid and cathode, means for applying a voltage to the plate of the device, means for applying a voltage to the cathode normally higher than the plate voltage so that the tubes are non-conducting and the multivibrator is ineffective, and means whereby the breakdown of said device lowers the cathode voltage of the tubes to render the tubes conducting and the multivibrator effective, one of the tubes being connected to the 'secondnamedset of defiecting means, the other tube having a condenser in the cathode Icircuit thereof so that the multivibrator will always be rendered effective `in the same phase. Y

7. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal `and vertical sets of'd'eiiecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deecting means, 'amultivibrator'connected to the other lset of deflecting means, means including a critical voltage breakdown device for rendering said sweep circuit effective and ineective, said multivibrator comprising a pair of electron tubes each having plate, grid and cathode7 means including an electron tube inter-connecting said critical voltage breakdown device and the grid of one tube of the multivibrator, means whereby said interconnecting tube places a cuto potential on said last-named grid, and means whereby the breakdown of said device causes said connecting tube to render said last-named grid less negative to render sai-d multivibrator effective.

8. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of defiecting means, a sweep .circuit connected to one set of deflecting means, a multivibrator, means for rendering said sweep circuit effective to provide a sweep, means controlled by said last-named means for rendering said multivibrator effective, means for periodically producing a plurality of cycles of the multivibrator for each sweep, and means Afor applying the output of the multivibrator to the other set of deflecting means whereby each cycle of the multivibrator varies the sweep.

9. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of deiiecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deilecting means, a multivibrator, means for rendering said sweep circuit effective to provide a sweep, means controlled by said last-named means for rendering said multivibrator effective, means for periodically producing a plurality of cycles of the multivibrator for each sweep, and means for applying to the other set of deflecting plates voltages similar to the output voltages of the multivibrator.

10. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of deecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deflecting means, a multivibrator, means for rendering said sweep circuit eifective to provide a sweep, means controlled by said last-named means for rendering said multivibrator effective, means for periodically producing a plurality of cycles of the multivibrator for each sweep, and means for applying to the other set of deflecting plates alternating voltages corresponding to the output voltages of the multivibrator.

11. In combination, an oscilloscope having horizontal and vertical sets of defiecting means, a sweep circuit connected to one set of deiiecting means, a multivibrator, means for rendering said sweep circuit effective to provide a sweep, means controlled by said last-named means for rendering said multivibator effective, means for periodically producing a plurality of .cycles of the multivibrator for each sweep, and means for applying to the other set of delecting plates alternating voltages corresponding to the output voltages of the multivibrator wherein the positive and negative portions of each alternation are of equal duration.

FLOYD A. FIRESTONE. RALPH B. DE LANO, JR. (References on following page) Number Name Date REFERENCES CITED 2,368,449 Cook Jan. 30, 1945 The following references are of record in the 2,405,238 Seeley Aug. 6, 1946 le of this patent: 2,420,516 Bischoff May 13,1947

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 OTHER REFERENCES Number Name Date Sherman,` The Generation for Television of 2,293,135 Hallmark Aug. 18, 1942 Horizontal synchronizing Pulses," Proceedings 2,300,999 Williams Nov. 3, 1942 of the I. R. E., Sept. 1940, pages 406 and 409. 

